


After Hours Review

by eemamminy



Series: Commensalism [1]
Category: Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Genre: Dubious Consent, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-01
Updated: 2015-03-01
Packaged: 2018-03-15 20:31:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3461069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eemamminy/pseuds/eemamminy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Following the events of Human Revolution, Dr. Megan Reed accepts Bob Page's offer to continue her research with his organization. However, that choice holds unforeseen consequences.</p>
            </blockquote>





	After Hours Review

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this fic and a number of others two or three years ago, based upon the after the credits scene in DXHR. With the idea in mind that Megan's research helped lead to the creation of the Gray Death, and other fun things, I liked the concept of her desire to continue her research being faced with multiple ethical dilemmas which were then muddled by the manipulative, domineering nature of Page. I also wrote this in mind with Megan being very lonely, having ruined her relationship with Jensen (and assumedly other, previous partners) forever.

“Ah, Dr. Reed, you’re still here?” Bob asked rather casually, though his own presence begged the same question in return. Megan simply nodded, a polite laugh slipping out before she uttered another affirmation, “Yeah, it looks like I am.”

After all the time she’d spent on the Omega Ranch working at any given hour of the day, it was still difficult for Megan to readjust to the schedule of a “normal” person. Sure, she was still a scientist working on the same sorts of breakthroughs—even using some of her previous research as a base for new discoveries—but that didn’t mean she needed every night in the lab to be a late night. Somehow, she’d often wind up as the very last one in her team to leave the lab, consistently enough that she was beginning to gain a rapport with the overnight security team. Although she had spent nearly her entire life in America, it would seem that less than a year’s time overseas was enough to change her habits. Of course, it wasn’t as if Megan had much of anything—or rather, _anyone_ to go home to, which certainly affected her desire to do so.

“Burning the midnight oil, I see,” her superior noted as he glanced over some charts and diagrams that cluttered Megan’s work area. She was expecting to have to give an explanation for why she had been staying late, or what had been so important that couldn’t wait until the next day, blurting some things out before being asked any questions, “I think I’m really close to something big. One of the subjects’ tissues is remarkably resilient to the weakened virus, I was just running a few more tests to see—”

“Megan,” he began firmly, saying her first name with a strength that ended her sentence prematurely before he could continue, “My dear, you really mustn’t work so hard. It’s not good for the complexion, and a woman with looks like yours should be careful not to squander what she’s been given.”

An apology came to mind, but Megan had been working with Bob long enough by now to know that he wasn’t much of a fan of the word “sorry”. Her lips pursed as she thought more on his words, realizing that it had been more of a compliment than a reprimand, “I think my work is more important than I am. I don’t think much about the other things these days.”

Cupping her shoulder and giving an almost fatherly look, Bob spoke again, another degree of softness added to his already smooth voice, “You’re still human, aren’t you? You’re still a woman, too. You’d do well to remember it from time to time.”

Now this was getting a little too personal, and all too familiar. Megan had found herself in similar positions with other men like Bob Page—men who she had respected, bonded with, and ultimately misinterpreted in the most embarrassing ways. She flinched at the touch and looked away, suddenly realizing where this was going. A quick glance at the door was enough for her to realize that the guard posted to the lab had left. Someone had sure picked an interesting time for a bathroom break—that, or this had all been planned out in advance. The other hand now found itself cupping her cheek, causing her head to slowly face forward once again, though her eyes were sluggish to follow.

Eye contact was all that was necessary, apparently, as an uninvited kiss followed immediately after. Megan’s body stiffened up again, comforted strangely by the warmth of the man standing in front of her. The moment carried on for much longer than she’d expected, her muscles relaxing before a very hesitant hand went to the masculine chest that towered over her. Just a small gesture was enough for Bob to make another move, his hand gliding down Megan’s shoulder to the small of her back, to close whatever gap there had been between their forms already.

Racing thoughts of every variety ended their contact within a few more seconds of their connection, Megan’s hand pushing against her boss as her head and shoulders turned away. Bob was certainly strong enough to have held her in place if he wanted to, but force wasn’t really his style of getting his way—though he did intend to get his way.

“Maybe I should go home now,” Megan said quickly, fighting to make herself look back at the man she’d just kissed—no, she hadn’t kissed him. Their embrace hadn’t been her fault, nor had she welcomed it. These were the defense mechanisms she played back in her mind anyway, after getting too close to other men in her past.

Smirking coquettishly, Bob took another step toward her. The body language was as plain as letters on a page, obvious to an almost absurd degree, as if her uneasiness were nothing more than an act. At any rate, he found himself tickled by the idea that a woman of Megan’s age wouldn’t be worldlier. “I’m not sending you home for the evening, Dr. Reed. You can stay if you’d like.”

Now Megan was beginning to feel out of place, even as she was outright told the opposite. She brushed a rebellious strand of hair away from her face nervously before she insisted her position, “I’ve already done enough work for one night. It might be better if I review the results with fresh eyes tomorrow.”

Another step was made in her direction, the man unfazed by her words, “You’ve certainly done your share and then some.” The two of them were face-to-face once again, though Bob made sure to keep his hands at bay momentarily. “I’m curious to hear about your findings. I was hoping we could chat for a while in my office, maybe share a glass of wine?” A glimmer of interest appeared in Megan’s eye for just a second or two, long enough to be seen but short enough that she was likely to protest again if given the opportunity. Instead, he elaborated in an attempt to further entice the scientist, “I’ve had an ’06 bottle of Burgundy sitting on my desk for far too long now, and I think tonight is as good as any to have a taste.”

After a brief pause and a deep breath, Megan reluctantly agreed, and was escorted to the executive elevator.

—

Sometime late in the morning, Megan awoke, still in the rather large office at Page Industries. Her hair and clothing was disheveled, and the faint smell of cigar smoke could be detected from across the room. No one else seemed to be there with her, but she soon discovered a change of clothes sitting on the large mahogany desk, with a handwritten note placed square in the middle of it.

“ _Megan—_

_Take the day off and do something for yourself. I’ve arranged it with security so that you can use the private elevator to leave quietly if you so wish._

_I’d also appreciate it if you kept this a secret between the two of us. My colleague tends to take the entire mile when offered an inch. Morgan gets obsessed with the little details, which I doubt you’d be all too happy to disclose._

_—BP_ ”

None of this sat too well with her, yet Megan followed her instructions carefully. As much as she’d had these sorts of fantasies about the other men she’d worked for in the past, somehow making it a reality wasn’t any more satisfying than being denied.


End file.
